OVERVIEW With microprocessor clock speeds being held constant, optimizing systems around specific workloads is an increasingly attractive means to improve performance. The importance of workload optimized systems is seen in their ubiquitous deployment in diverse systems from cellphones to tablets to routers to game machines to Top500 supercomputers, and IT appliances such as IBM's DataPower and Netezza, and Oracle's Exadata.

More precisely, workload optimized systems have hardware and/or software specifically designed to run well for a particular application or application class. The types and components of workload optimized systems vary, but a partial list includes traditional CPUs assisted with accelerators (ASICs, FPGAs, GPUs), memory accelerators, I/O accelerators, hybrid systems, and IT appliances.

TOPICSFastPath seeks to facilitate the exchange of ideas on performance analysis, evaluation and modeling of workload optimized systems. Please submit a 6-page research papers (2-column, 10 to 12-point type, single spaced, 1-inch margins) from one or more of the topics that include, but not limited to:

Fastpath papers will be made available through the workshop website and hard copies will be provided at the workshop to the attendees. There are no copyright issues with Fastpath papers, and thus authors retain the copyright of their work with complete freedom to submit their work elsewhere.